Taking The Time
by Yorutsuki-Lunia
Summary: More than a decade is enough time to finally gather the courage to confess.


**My first attempt at Sterek fic. I wrote this as a platonic Sterek at first but my love for them won out at last. So yeah, I hope you guys like it.**

He could hear him coming long before he felt his presence plopping beside him with the kind of chaotic grace that would have gone unnoticed to the humans. A mug was offered to him and he stared at the steaming liquid for a moment before taking it with a nod of silent gratitude.

It is tea but his nose could not discern what kind of herb mix Stiles had used to concoct it. He could smell the trace of lime and rosemary but the rest eluded him. So he just chucked it off as one of Stiles' many experimental herbal recipes.

Though for some reason, each mix that Stiles had given him so far always seem to suit his mood and a glass of it could help ease away the tension in his frazzled nerve.

Bringing the warm porcelain up to his lips, he took a couple of tentative sips from it. Citrus flavor burst on his tongue and he savored the taste of it for a moment before swallowing it. His chest warmed up from the warm liquid going down to his stomach and a couple more sips of it left him relaxing into the hardwood chair that he had made for the back porch.

"You okay now?"

Stiles asked, finally breaking the silence that had fallen over them and Derek does not have to turn his head toward him to know that the brunette is wringing his hands around the mug he has clasped between it.

Even if more than a decade had passed ever since their first meeting, Stiles will never be able to remove the nervous ticks that was caused by his excessive energy. And Derek is glad for it despite how it often drove him up the wall in frustration most of the time.

It meant Stiles will always be Stiles no matter how long had passed and that thought comfort him for some reason.

He grunted in response, not bothering with a verbal one because he knew Stiles would be able to understand the words that he left unspoken. He had always been able to and Derek is grateful for it.

Derek knew he has trouble with expressing himself in words but Stiles always managed to somehow put what he wanted to say into words, always managed to understand the silent body language that he often used to express himself with.

He never thought he would one day has someone who would be able to understand him that much in his life, to be able to reach such an intimate level of understanding that one had ever managed before.

And for that someone to be Stiles, it had been an astounding surprise for him at first because he had never expected to has the most talkative person in the pack to be the one who understood him the most

But years into their tentative friendship, Derek has come to appreciate it.

He is glad to has someone who would be able to understand him without having that someone to press him for what is bothering him. Stiles had learned to never pressure him for what was on his mind and had somehow managed to develop a sixth sense for Derek's mood. Stiles understood him when it mattered the most and the boy-now a man, only need to take one look at him to know just what is going through his mind.

Yes, Stiles often annoys him with his constant chatter and talking but that is only because he can.

"They're going to be fine you know. Erica will have them wrapped around her claws soon enough because she is _the_ Catwoman and I know she can do it. Besides, Isaac will be there to smooth out those peacocks' ruffled feathers, you know what a charmer he is. He will charm their pants off before they know what hit them. And most of all, Boyd is there with them. I know for sure he will keep those two in line because I had taught him a couple of tricks before they go. So, don't worry your big alpha head over them. I am sure the pups would fine Sourwolf."

A small smile made itself present on his lips when he hears Stiles talk, letting the flow of words wash over him and filling the silence of the night between them. Hearing the brunette ramble about something had become somewhat therapeutic to him in moments like this and it helped ease away the tension that he had built during his anxious waiting for his packmates' return from the meeting in Sacramento.

It is a treaty meeting with a potential ally pack but instead of the traditional meeting of the Alphas of each involved pack, it is a meeting between the Betas of each pack. The other pack is an old pack who believed in the strength of Betas that influenced the pack and had only agreed for a treaty if they are satisfied with the strength of the Hale-McCall representative Betas.

Derek had been anxious all day because it is the first time his Betas were away for a treaty meeting without having him or Scott with them. He is worried that something would happen to them and he would not be there to help them. He would not be this worried if they at least have Stiles with them but the other pack does not trust an Emissary, having had a bad history with a manipulative Emissary.

At least if Stiles is there, he knew they would home safe without a single strand of hair out of place. He knew Stiles would go above and beyond to keep them safe and he also knew that Stiles is capable of it.

Gazing into the clear liquid of the herbal tea, Derek knew he had made the right choice when he asked for Stiles' help during the start of the whole Kanima incident. It had been the only time where he did not hesitate to put his pride aside so that he could secure a better safety for his pack by asking for the help of a human boy. And that decision is something he never regretted.

Without Stiles to hold all of them together, none of them would have been here together after more than a decade had passed ever since the start of their acquaintance.

Turning to face Stiles, he knew that the man already went off tangent from the original topic of his ramble and Derek could only feel fond exasperation toward him instead of the usual irritation that flooded him during the early year of their relationship.

He put aside his own mug of half full tea and reached out to run his knuckles over the sharp cheekbones of Stiles' face. That managed to make Stiles shut up, mouth clicking shut with a sharp snap as liquid amber eyes peered at him curiously from under long lashes.

Derek gently urged him to turn his head toward him and rubbed a thumb over the pale skin in silent praise when the brunette complied without a word. He did not take his hand off of him, content to keep the skin contact that had become frequent thing between them ever since they had become a proper pack.

He could see the questions on Stiles' expressive face but if there is anything the years had taught Stiles, it is patience and also to let Derek speak at his own pace. And that thought brought a smile to his lips once again, even if it is a small barely there one but a smile nonetheless.

A flash of red caught his attention and his eyes tracked the tongue peeking out to moist those plump lips. It is oddly satisfying to know that he is able to make the usually talkative man be rendered into this quiet and anticipating man.

Derek knew there is an attraction between them, a spark that had been the reason why he had gone to Stiles for help in the first place but he is also hesitant to ruin the bond they already have for something as ephemeral as an attraction. But years into their friendship, he knew for sure that this attraction is a mutual long standing one.

And here he is, finally deciding that they both had waited long enough. Derek is sure that both of them want this and he has finally gathered the courage needed to take the final step to seal this. So without taking his eyes off of Stiles' eyes, he leaned into close the distance between them and Stiles meet him halfway there.

It was a soft press of lips but it sent tingle of warmth coiling in the pit of his stomach and pressed close for more, consumed by a greed that he had been suppressing for years.

But the sound of gravels crunching under tires had him pulling away because his three Betas has returned. He wanted for their moment to be intimate and personal, only between the two of them before they revealed it to the rest of their packmates.

Derek is relieved to see understanding in Stiles' eyes and he gave in for a last lingering kiss that promised so many things before they parted. He nuzzled Stiles' cheek with a small content smile curled on his lips and pulled away when Boyd's truck entered the main road of the pack house.

Both of them stood up when the truck stopped in the spot they had allotted for the parking of vehicles and greeted the ecstatic but somewhat exhausted Betas with smiles and warm hugs. Derek's chest rumbled with pride and approval when Erica told them of their success in securing a treaty with the pack they had met. He knew they could do it and he showed how proud he is of them by nuzzling each of them on the head with a hand on the back of their neck, letting his scent soak into their skin.

As he herded the exhausted trio into the den, his eyes caught Stiles' and they gazed into each other's eyes whilst sharing a secretive smile. Perhaps their confession is not as romantic or as grand as what they would have liked but this is what they wanted. Besides, they still have all the time in the world to profess their love for each other after this.

But until then, both of them are content to wait a couple more hours as they spent it with their packmates.

 **A bit cheesy and feely but I enjoyed writing this very much. I imagined that both of them as grown up and adult, well technically Derek is already an adult but my point is, both of them had grown up into the men that I imagined them to be if they were given the chance to do so. In this, Derek had went to Stiles for help at the start of the Kanima arc and they had developed a bond of trust right from that moment. The bond grows and so does themselves and none of the pack died in this because they had become a proper pack early on and Stiles is more adamant about the alliance with Derek in this. He didn't take Scott's shit.**

 **So yeah, I also had not decided on making this a multi chapter or not. If I receive good response, I might just but I hope you guys like it.**

 **As usual, leave a review on the way out.**


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